Device for tightening wires

ABSTRACT

A WIRE TIGHTENING DEVICE COMPRISING A SINGLE LENGTH OF WIRE ONE END PORTION OF WHICH FORMS A TENSIONING ARM AND HAS ON ONE END A HOOK TO ENGAGE THE TIGHTENED WIRE WHILE THE OTHER END PORTION OF THE LENGTH OF WIRE IS BENT AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO FORM A FIRST WINDING ARM AND THEN IS BENT U-SHAPED AND IS FORMED INTO A SECOND WINDING ARM EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE FIRST WINDING ARM AND CROSSES THE TENSIONING ARM. BETWEEN THE TENSIONING ARM AND THE END PORTION OF THE SECOND WINDING ARM IS LEFT A SPACE AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF THE WIRE TO BE   TIGHTENED SO AS TO INSERT THE WIRE THROUGH THIS SPACE AND PERMIT THE WIRE TO BE WOUND ABOUT THE TWO WINDING ARMS DURING THE TIGHTENING OPERATION.

March 9, 1971 E. KORE 7 DEVICE FOR TIGHTENING WIRES Filed March 4, 1969 United States Patent 3,568,261 DEVICE FOR TIGHT-ENING WIRES Erich Korb, Wachenheim, Germany, assignor to Gerd Elfgen, Wess eling, Bezirk Cologne, Germany Filed Mar. 4, 1969., Ser. No. 804,233 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 5, 1968,

Int. .01. A44b 21/00 US. Cl. 2471.3 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wire tightening device comprising a single length of wire one end portion of which forms a tensioning arm and has on one end a hook to engage the tightened wire while the other end portion of the length of wire is bent at a right angle to form a first winding arm and then is bent U-shaped and is formed into a second winding arm extending substantially parallel to the first winding arm and crosses the tensioning arm. Between the tensioning arm and the end portion of the second winding arm is left a space at least equal to the thickness of the wire to be tightened so as to insert the wire through this space and permit the wire to be wound about the two winding arms during the tightening operation.

The invention relates to a device for tightening of wires as they are used, for instance, for demarcation of inhabited premises, agriculture plots, animal enclosures, vineyards, and the like.

Wires of this type are used for the making of fences, enclosures, and the like, and have to be tightened during their erection and have to be frequently retightened later because of stretching or material fatigue of the wire, and also then when the position of the Wire on the posts is changed, or when repairs are being made, or when for other reasons the wires have become slack.

Devices are already known which are used for tightening the mentioned wires and which comprise a sheet metal holder in which a locking wheel is arranged, whereby the wire is wound up with the assistance of this locking wheel and thereby is tightened.

Such known devices, however, are difficult to produce and after longer use give rise to difiiculties in view of contamination and corrosion of the metal. A particular disadvantage of these known devices is that for the tightening or retightening of the wire a separate spanner has to be used for rotating the locking wheel and that such a spanner gets easily lost or is not always available when it is necessary to examine and retighten the wire.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages by providing a simple wire tightener which is easy to produce and is economical in price and which is particularly safe in operation, has a long life, and does not require a separate spanner or other tool for its operation.

According to the invention the wire tightening device is used for tightening of wires, particularly for fences which define the limits of parcels of land. The device is provided with a tensioning arm on one end of which a holding means is provided for engaging the tightened wire and on whose other end is provided two Winding arms positioned at right angles to the tensioning arm, whereby ice one winding varm is connected with the tensioning arm and the other winding arm is connected with the first winding arm by a -U-shaped portion. This other winding arm has such a length that its free end extends over the tensioning arm and may engage it.

Another object of the invention is a wire tightening device which is provided With a space between the free end of said other winding arm and the tensioning arm which at least is as large as the thickness of the wire to be tightened.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention the tensioning arm has such a length that it serves during the tightening of the wire as a lever.

With these and other objects in view the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a preferred embodiment of the wire tightening device.

Referring to the single figure of the drawing, the wire tightener is preferably made of a single piece of wire of which one end portion forms a tensioning arm 2 provided with a holding means 3 for holding the device on the tightened wire 1. The holding means 3 may, for instance, consist of a hook which is so bent that it is pressed by the tightened wire 1 securely and safely against the wire 1 and in this manner prevents an untensioning of the wire 1.

The other end portion of the piece of wire forming the tightening device is substantially bent at a right angle with respect to the tensioning arm 2, in order to form a first winding arm 4 which is connected by a U-shaped connecting portion 5 with a second winding arm 6. The second winding arm 6 extends toward the tensioning arm 2 and has such a length that it extends a short distance beyond the tensioning arm 2 and may engage the latter. Between the free end 7 of the second winding arm 6 and the tensioning arm 2 is formed, in the inoperative position of the tightening device, a predetermined space which is at least equal to the thickness of the wire 1 to be tightened. Furthermore, the length of the tensioning arm 2 is preferably so selected that during the tensioning of the wire 1 it serves as a lever; for instance, the tensioning arm may be at least six inches long.

In the described tightening device the tensioning arm 2 and the first winding arm 4 are arranged in a first plane, while the second winding arm 6 is disposed in a second plane which forms with the first mentioned plane at an acute angle.

When a wire 1 is to be tightened with the device of the invention the device is moved in such a direction on the wire 1 that the latter enters the space formed between the free end 7 of the second winding arm 6 and the tensioning arm 2, then the tensioning arm 2 is pivoted so that a portion of the wire 1 is wound upon the winding arms 4 and 6, namely, in such a direction of rotation that the free end 7 of the second winding arm 6 is yieldingly urged against the tensioning arm 2. As soon as this winding of a portion of the wire 1 has created the desired tightening of the wire 1 the hook shaped holding means 3 is so placed on the Wire 1 that it is urged yieldingly against the wire 1. The Wire 1 is now securely and safely tightened. A retightening may be performed at any time this becomes desired.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated and described example, but may be modified within any suitable manner and may be further developed.

end of said arm for holding said device on the tightened 7 wire and two winding arms formed on the other end of said tensioning arm and extending substantially at right 5 angles to said tensioning arm, one of said winding arms being connected with said tensioning arm, while the other winding arm is connected with said first mentioned winding arm by a U-shaped portion, wherein the improvement comprises that said other winding arm is straight and hasv such a length that its free end crosses over said tensioning arm at a place which is spaced from the place where the first mentioned winding arm is connected With said tensioning arm, and also is spaced at its crossing point from said 15 tensioning arm a distance which is at least equal to the thickness of the wire to be tightened, whereby when the wire has been inserted in said space at the crossing point and has been looped around said two winding arms and 4 the tcnsioning arm is rotated the said other winding arm will be caused to yiel-dingly-engage said tensioning arm at said crossing point when the said holding means engages said wire.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,789,891 1/1931 Alke 2471.3 1,792,468 2/1931 Sheckels et a1. 2471.3 3,203,058 8/1965 Roing 2471.3X

FOREIGN PATENTS 483,689 6/1952 Canada 24--71.3 1 544,994 7/1922 France 24-71.3 1,482,090 4/1967 France 24-71.3 354,055 6/ 1961 Switzerland 2471.3

JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner 

